Audio content validation via embedded inaudible sound signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11631416-B1
Application number	US-202117546100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2021
Priority date	Dec 9, 2021
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

Data-analysis-based processing is provided to validate audio content delivery via embedded inaudible sound signals. The processing obtains, by a validation system, an indication of detection of an inaudible sound signal embedded in an audio output of provided content initiated by a user on a user-device. The inaudible sound signal is inaudible to the user, and the audio output is from the user-device. Based on obtaining the indication of detection of the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output, the validation system validates that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product for facilitating validation of audio content delivery, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer-readable storage media having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being readable by a processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to perform a method comprising:
obtaining an indication of detection of an inaudible sound signal embedded in an audio output of provided content initiated by a user on a user-device, the inaudible sound signal being inaudible to the user, and the audio output being from the user-device;
based on obtaining the indication of detection of the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output, validating that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device;
obtaining microphone audio data representative of the audio output of provided content on the user-device, and the validating comprises comparing the microphone audio data to the provided content to verify that the inaudible sound signals embedded therein match, wherein the inaudible sound signals matching is indicative that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device; and
wherein based on the embedded inaudible sound signals not matching during the comparing of the microphone audio data and the provided content, the method further comprises identifying one or more portions of the provided content where the audio output of the provided content was unable to be heard through the user-device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the validating is by a validation system, and the method further comprises linking the validation system to a content provider system supplying the provided content to the user-device, and providing, by the validation system, analysis data to the content provider system resulting from the comparing of the microphone audio data to the provided content.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising initiating, based on the identifying of the one or more portions, modifying of the provided content to obtain modified content for providing to the user-device.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 , wherein the modified content includes the one or more portions of the provided content where the audio output of the provided content was unable to be heard through the user-device.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the detected inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output has reached a specified threshold, wherein the validating is further based on the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output of the provided content reaching the specified threshold.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the validating is by a validation system, and the method further comprises obtaining an indication of registration of the user-device with the validation system, wherein the user-device includes a microphone for detecting the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output of the provided content when the audio output is ON with respect to the user-device.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the validating is by a validation system, and the method further comprises obtaining an indication of registration of another user-associated device with the validation system, wherein the other user-associated device includes a microphone for detecting the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output of the provided content when the audio output is ON with respect to the user-device.

8. A computer system for facilitating validation of audio content delivery, the computer system comprising:
a memory; and
a processing circuit in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
obtaining an indication of detection of an inaudible sound signal embedded in an audio output of provided content initiated by a user on a user-device, the inaudible sound signal being inaudible to the user, and the audio output being from the user-device;
based on obtaining the indication of detection of the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output, validating that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device;
obtaining microphone audio data representative of the audio output of provided content on the user-device, and the validating comprises comparing the microphone audio data to the provided content to verify that the inaudible sound signals embedded therein match, wherein the inaudible sound signals matching is indicative that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device; and
wherein based on the embedded inaudible sound signals not matching during the comparing of the microphone audio data and the provided content, the method further comprises identifying one or more portions of the provided content where the audio output of the provided content was unable to be heard through the user-device.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the validating is by a validation system, and the method further comprises linking the validation system to a content provider system supplying the provided content to the user-device, and providing, by the validation system, analysis data to the content provider system resulting from the comparing of the microphone audio data to the provided content.

10. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising initiating, based on the identifying of the one or more portions, modifying of the provided content to obtain modified content for providing to the user-device.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the modified content including the one or more portions of the provided content where the audio output of the provided content was unable to be heard through the user-device.

12. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether the detected inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output has reached a specified threshold, wherein the validating is further based on the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output of the provided content reaching the specified threshold.

13. A computer-implemented method of facilitating validation of audio content delivery, the computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining an indication of detection of an inaudible sound signal embedded in an audio output of provided content initiated by a user on a user-device, the inaudible sound signal being inaudible to the user, and the audio output being from the user-device;
based on obtaining the indication of detection of the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output, validating that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device;
further comprising obtaining microphone audio data representative of the audio output of provided content on the user-device, and the validating comprises comparing the microphone audio data to the provided content to verify that the inaudible sound signals embedded therein match, wherein the inaudible sound signals matching is indicative that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device; and
wherein based on the embedded inaudible sound signals not matching during the comparing of the microphone audio data and the provided content, the computer-implemented method further comprises:
identifying one or more portions of the provided content where the audio output of the provided content was unable to be heard the user-device; and
initiating, based on the identifying of the one or more portions, modifying of the p

Assignees

• Kyndryl Inc

Inventors

• Childress Rhonda L
• Bender Michael
• Fox Jeremy R
• Zeng Yinghui

Classifications

• G06F21/16 Primary

  Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking · CPC title

• G10L19/018 Primary

  Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal · CPC title

• G10L25/51

  for comparison or discrimination · CPC title

• G06F21/1063

  Personalisation · CPC title

• G09B5/02

  with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip · CPC title